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"...At the ear of Eve": hearing, gender, and the physiology of the fall in John Milton's Paradise lost.

Creator

Pollari, Niina., Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College

Abstract/Description

The organ of hearing, in John Milton's Paradise Lost, is inextricably connected with both the physical and the spiritual; it is the point of entry through which Satan's words enter Eve's brain, subsequently process, and lead eventually to the fall of mankind. Its symbolic importance is also indisputable, as it is a metaphor for the feminine passivity and penetrability that make Milton's Eve a particularly vulnerable target. There is, however, already a pre-existing connection between the ear... Show moreThe organ of hearing, in John Milton's Paradise Lost, is inextricably connected with both the physical and the spiritual; it is the point of entry through which Satan's words enter Eve's brain, subsequently process, and lead eventually to the fall of mankind. Its symbolic importance is also indisputable, as it is a metaphor for the feminine passivity and penetrability that make Milton's Eve a particularly vulnerable target. There is, however, already a pre-existing connection between the ear and its role in Paradise Lost. The seventeenth-century medical texts of Milton's contemporaries gender the physiology of the ear and the process of hearing and therefore contribute to its importance in the pivotal temptation scene; that is, the rhetoric surrounding the physiology of the ear is the down fall of humankind in the epic poem. As a result of the dangerous connection between science and language, Milton's characters are already predestined to sin. Show less

Symbolism in communication, Fall of man, Body, Human, in literature, Literature and science, History

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Document (PDF)

Title

"72", "Seascapes", and "Solo Violin": Three chamber works.

Creator

Okubo, Masakuni., Florida Atlantic University, Glazer, Stuart

Abstract/Description

Three unaccompanied chamber pieces of Masakuni Okubo are discussed from several different aspects. They were composed for solo clarinet ( 72), two flutes (Seascapes), and solo violin. Each piece is analyzed in terms of its historical background, compositional techniques, and formal and stylistic characteristics.

The mid-Tudor period for a long time has been portrayed as a period of trouble and turbulence that was of little historical significance. The rulers and intellectuals of the period were cast as fanatical, intolerant religious bigots whose actions at best delayed the progress of English government. Actually the opposite is true. After the death of Edward VI, a group of evangelicals fled the restoration of Roman jurisdiction by Mary I. These English Protestants are known as the Marian exiles... Show moreThe mid-Tudor period for a long time has been portrayed as a period of trouble and turbulence that was of little historical significance. The rulers and intellectuals of the period were cast as fanatical, intolerant religious bigots whose actions at best delayed the progress of English government. Actually the opposite is true. After the death of Edward VI, a group of evangelicals fled the restoration of Roman jurisdiction by Mary I. These English Protestants are known as the Marian exiles and they fashioned some radical political ideas to support a traditional, albeit evangelical political culture. They did this by trying to find a Biblical justification to oppose the Catholic restoration of Mary and return England to the godly church and state of Edward VI. Looking to restore the reformed church, they inadvertently legitimized what had before been seen as sedition into the modern idea of revolution. Show less

This paper argues that Kim Il-Sung of North Korea and Fidel Castro of Cuba established personality cults of differing degrees of intensity due to the relative degrees of historical and political isolation present in each state. Although both states followed a similar pattern of dominance, resentment, nationalism, and socialism in their recent histories, their differing overall histories dictated the intensity of their leaders' personality cults. Korea's long history of self-imposed... Show moreThis paper argues that Kim Il-Sung of North Korea and Fidel Castro of Cuba established personality cults of differing degrees of intensity due to the relative degrees of historical and political isolation present in each state. Although both states followed a similar pattern of dominance, resentment, nationalism, and socialism in their recent histories, their differing overall histories dictated the intensity of their leaders' personality cults. Korea's long history of self-imposed isolationism in combination with xenophobia was continued in Kim's self-reliance ideology and allowed for a fanatical personality cult to develop. Cuba's only experience with isolation was that imposed by the United States through its embargoes, and the resulting hostility between Cuba and the United States actually helped legitimize Castro's regime and personality cult. Show less

"A spirit of benevolence": Manchester and the origins of modern public health, 1790-1834.

Creator

Boxen, Jennifer L., Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of History

Abstract/Description

This thesis argues that the British Public Health movement did not begin in 1842 with Edwin Chadwick's publication, Report on the Sanitary Conditions of the Labouring Population of Great Britain (1842), or in 1848, with the subsequent passage of the Public Health Act. The beginning of the public health movement was instead the product of local initiatives such as the Manchester Board of Health, administered not by central government, but by members of the local community supported by... Show moreThis thesis argues that the British Public Health movement did not begin in 1842 with Edwin Chadwick's publication, Report on the Sanitary Conditions of the Labouring Population of Great Britain (1842), or in 1848, with the subsequent passage of the Public Health Act. The beginning of the public health movement was instead the product of local initiatives such as the Manchester Board of Health, administered not by central government, but by members of the local community supported by predominantly philanthropic funding. The Manchester movement predated Chadwick's efforts by at least half a century and bore a greater resemblance to the modern idea of an organized public health system than that advanced by Chadwick and his contemporaries. This is because the Manchester movement emphasized not only those sanitary ideas ascribed to Chadwick but also included a broader spectrum of public health measures, including but not limited to ; preventative medicine, occupational health, and the reduction of contagious diseases. Show less

"And yet God has not said a word!": Robert Browning and the romantic killer in literature.

Creator

Burns-Davies, Erin., Florida Atlantic University, Faraci, Mary

Abstract/Description

Robert Browning's dramatic monologues often characterize the darker aspect of romantic love through speakers who demonstrate their devotion to violence. Exploring the innovations in discourse, Browning gives his narrators voices that allow them to speak from an ancient literary tradition. For Browning's speakers, words make the silencing of the lover either the act of ultimate devotion or the result of disappointed expectations. The narrator speaks of the absence of God, as when Porphyria's... Show moreRobert Browning's dramatic monologues often characterize the darker aspect of romantic love through speakers who demonstrate their devotion to violence. Exploring the innovations in discourse, Browning gives his narrators voices that allow them to speak from an ancient literary tradition. For Browning's speakers, words make the silencing of the lover either the act of ultimate devotion or the result of disappointed expectations. The narrator speaks of the absence of God, as when Porphyria's lover holds her body to him: "and yet God has not said a word!" With the poet's strong speech---in all his attractiveness, his destructive display of love and his dismissal of God---Browning has helped to create a discourse that has sculpted the literary force of the romantic killer. Three novelists in particular employ the literary force of Browning's experiments: Anne Rice's The Vampire Lestat, Bret Easton Ellis's American Psycho and Thomas Harris's Hannibal Lecter novels. Intertextual comparisons among these narratives delineate how Robert Browning's innovation of the seductive antihero has persisted in literature. Show less

The word "anomaly" in The Portrait of a Lady forms a nexus of meanings derived from its denotative and connotative meanings. This complex of meaning bring in focus phenomenological aspects of character, action, and style translating into larger thematic concepts to create a level of understanding deepening the experience of the novel. Isabel Archer is examined for her anomalous portrayal of a modern character whose complexity emerges as a dynamic of the anomalous and the vulgar that are... Show moreThe word "anomaly" in The Portrait of a Lady forms a nexus of meanings derived from its denotative and connotative meanings. This complex of meaning bring in focus phenomenological aspects of character, action, and style translating into larger thematic concepts to create a level of understanding deepening the experience of the novel. Isabel Archer is examined for her anomalous portrayal of a modern character whose complexity emerges as a dynamic of the anomalous and the vulgar that are distinguishable but ultimately inseparable. Using a phenomenological approach, the word "anomaly," as recurring descriptive term, can be studied in its juxtaposition to other words, such as vulgarity, providing additional insight into characterization and action in Portrait of a Lady. Show less

Antipodes consists of ten separate orchestral musical compositions, or movements, which explore the dichotomies of life. A variety of compositional styles were employed: memories of Rabbit Ridge, Crusader, Infinite Dreamer, and Centenarian are tonal; Incunabulum, Ridin', Love, and Eschatologic are twelve-tone; and Inception and Termination are aleatoric. Instrumentation varies considerably; e.g., Ridin' is orchestrated for a jazz/rock combo; Love for piano and small orchestra; Crusader and... Show moreAntipodes consists of ten separate orchestral musical compositions, or movements, which explore the dichotomies of life. A variety of compositional styles were employed: memories of Rabbit Ridge, Crusader, Infinite Dreamer, and Centenarian are tonal; Incunabulum, Ridin', Love, and Eschatologic are twelve-tone; and Inception and Termination are aleatoric. Instrumentation varies considerably; e.g., Ridin' is orchestrated for a jazz/rock combo; Love for piano and small orchestra; Crusader and other are for full orchestra. A complete discussion of each piece dealing with compositional method, programmatic intentions, and technical considerations as well as complete computer-generated conductor's scores are included. In addition, a complete performance on cassette tape was also submitted, using the author's computer-based Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) studio and a battery of synthesizers. Show less

The short story cycle unifies autonomous stories to create a larger narrative. In a similar manner, a type of money group called Sous Sous, also known as a Hand, Box, Meeting, or Partner, unifies individuals in a communal endeavor that gives a larger purpose to the venture of saving. The stories in this collection comprise a short story cycle that is unified, in part, by its explication of Sous Sous, which is common in black communities in America and the Caribbean and believed to have... Show moreThe short story cycle unifies autonomous stories to create a larger narrative. In a similar manner, a type of money group called Sous Sous, also known as a Hand, Box, Meeting, or Partner, unifies individuals in a communal endeavor that gives a larger purpose to the venture of saving. The stories in this collection comprise a short story cycle that is unified, in part, by its explication of Sous Sous, which is common in black communities in America and the Caribbean and believed to have origins in African culture. They share common characters and are also linked by a focus on money, materialism, or spirituality. Sequentially placed, most of the stories build on each other, creating a composite narrative. Show less

Robert Penn Warren's Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce dramatizes essential human values in individuals, in their relationships to nature, and in the structural elements of the poem, affirming their necessity for living a fulfilled life. By representing Chief Joseph as exemplar of mankind, Warren creates a symbolic example for all to recognize and copy. The presentation of nature parallels the fortunes and misfortunes of human beings. As man's relationship with nature deteriorates, universal... Show moreRobert Penn Warren's Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce dramatizes essential human values in individuals, in their relationships to nature, and in the structural elements of the poem, affirming their necessity for living a fulfilled life. By representing Chief Joseph as exemplar of mankind, Warren creates a symbolic example for all to recognize and copy. The presentation of nature parallels the fortunes and misfortunes of human beings. As man's relationship with nature deteriorates, universal principles of truth, justice, and personal integrity decline. The structure of the poem mirrors life, creating tension. By encouraging reader participation and introspection, an idea of order emerges, and this order can be maintained in the individual who possesses essential human values. Show less

FAU's Office of Undergraduate Research and Inquiry hosts an annual symposium where students engaged in undergraduate research may present their findings either through a poster presentation or an oral presentation.

The purpose of this study was to identify how various student, school, and staff predictors related to the academic performance of Mexican American fourth graders in selected schools as evidenced by their scores on the Florida Writes Assessment as well as on norm referenced achievement tests in reading comprehension and math applications. Three null hypotheses were tested to show if there was a correlation between predictors and these criterion variables: writing skills, reading comprehension... Show moreThe purpose of this study was to identify how various student, school, and staff predictors related to the academic performance of Mexican American fourth graders in selected schools as evidenced by their scores on the Florida Writes Assessment as well as on norm referenced achievement tests in reading comprehension and math applications. Three null hypotheses were tested to show if there was a correlation between predictors and these criterion variables: writing skills, reading comprehension, and math applications. A sample of 64 students from two Florida districts and twelve elementary schools was obtained. Data were collected from archival sources within each school district as well as from surveys distributed to English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) teachers. These were then analyzed to determine correlations with Florida Writes and with Stanford Achievement Test (SAT) as well as California Test of Basic Skills (CTBS) subtests in reading comprehension and math applications. The researcher was most interested in determining the relationship between a language arts pull-out program and achievement of ESOL students at a focal school which was in danger of being identified by the Florida Department of Education as "critically low" in academic performance because of low test scores. Correlations of predictor variables including the pull-out program were analyzed to determine statistical significance. Only the third hypothesis--that relating to math applications--was rejected at a probability level of.05. In this case, three predictors were considered significant: number of Limited English Proficient (LEP) students, number of Mexican American students, and the pull-out program. Because of small sample size and limited applications, no far reaching conclusions were drawn although further study was suggested because the Mexican American population in Florida is growing, and these students have historically not performed well in school. It was also recommended that the Florida Department of Education reconsider the timeline for ESOL student participation in norm referenced testing in writing and reading because most research shows that it takes at least five to seven years for most students to acquire comprehensible second language skills. Show less

The close association between Crane's journalistic and fictional account of the Greco-Turkish war makes "Death and the Child" one of the most forthright works in the Crane canon. From both a philosophical and technical standpoint, this short fiction work reveals Crane's maturity and sophistication at the end of 1897. A tension-release-shift structure directs the major flow of action, while at the same time suggesting the process of psychological change which the protagonist undergoes. The... Show moreThe close association between Crane's journalistic and fictional account of the Greco-Turkish war makes "Death and the Child" one of the most forthright works in the Crane canon. From both a philosophical and technical standpoint, this short fiction work reveals Crane's maturity and sophistication at the end of 1897. A tension-release-shift structure directs the major flow of action, while at the same time suggesting the process of psychological change which the protagonist undergoes. The interpretation of the final scenes of the work, a subject of some controversy, is aided by an examination of the corresponding and contrasting elements found in The Red Badge of Courage. Show less

In their studies of the code of honor in the Old South, historians such as Bertram Wyatt-Brown and Edward L. Ayers consider women incapable of possessing honor. However, the diary of Sarah Morgan, a young woman living in Baton Rouge and New Orleans during the Civil War, reveals the many ways that women actively engaged in the code of honor and even considered themselves to be honorable. In her diary, Sarah Morgan described her own reverence for any honorable gentleman and the ways in which... Show moreIn their studies of the code of honor in the Old South, historians such as Bertram Wyatt-Brown and Edward L. Ayers consider women incapable of possessing honor. However, the diary of Sarah Morgan, a young woman living in Baton Rouge and New Orleans during the Civil War, reveals the many ways that women actively engaged in the code of honor and even considered themselves to be honorable. In her diary, Sarah Morgan described her own reverence for any honorable gentleman and the ways in which women like her preached the ideologies of the code of honor to men. Women reinforced the code of honor by urging men to die rather than dishonor their family names, punished dishonorable men with their disdain while they celebrated their honorable heroes, and even adopted a feminized version of the code so that they too could possess honor. Show less